Association between obesity and mortality in the Costa Rican elderly: a cohort study.

Background: Costa Rica, along with other Latin American countries, is undergoing population aging, with an increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions, many of them resulting from a growing prevalence of obesity. As a result of the demographic and epidemiological transitions, the causes of morbidity and mortality have changed from communicable to non-communicable diseases. An increase in overweight and obesity is hypothesized to be related to premature mortality.

Dietary Intake and Sources of Added Sugars in Various Food Environments in Costa Rican Adolescents.

Consumption of added sugars, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), has been associated with several negative health outcomes during adolescence. This study aimed to identify dietary intake and food sources of added sugars in the home, school, and neighborhood environments of Costa Rican adolescents. Dietary intake of added sugars was determined using 3-day food records in a cross-sectional study of 818 adolescents aged 12 to 19 and enrolled in rural and urban schools in the province of San José.

Gender-based eating norms, the family environment and food intake among Costa Rican adolescents.

Objective: To examine the association between family environment variables (parenting styles, family meal atmosphere), gender-based stereotypes and food intake in Latin American adolescents.

Design: Structural equation modelling applied to cross-sectional data, 2017.

Setting: Urban and rural sites of San José, Costa Rica.

Changes in Dietary Intake of Major Nutrients and Food Sources among Costa Rican Adolescents in the Last 20 Years.

Background: Adolescence offers a window of opportunity to prevent adult obesity and noncommunicable disease risk factors. With the rising prevalence of adolescent obesity over the last 20 y, identifying any changes in dietary risk factors is crucial.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the dietary intake of major nutrients and their food sources in Costa Rican adolescents from 1996 to 2017.

Diet Quality and Diet Diversity in Eight Latin American Countries: Results from the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS).

This study aimed to assess diet quality score (DQS), considering healthy and unhealthy foods and nutrients, and diet diversity score (DDS) as indicators of risk of noncommunicable diseases in eight Latin American countries, and to verify the possible differences considering country, sex, age, socioeconomic, and nutritional status. A multicenter household population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 9218 individuals (age range 15-65 years). Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were collected.

Changes in dietary intake and food sources of saturated and cis and trans unsaturated fatty acids in Costa Rican adolescents: 1996 versus 2006.

Objective: To identify how dietary intake and food sources of saturated (SFA) and cis (PUFA) and trans (TFA) unsaturated fatty acids in the diet of Costa Rican adolescents changed from 1996 to 2006--a period with several public health nutrition changes.

Methods: Cross-sectional comparisons used data from measured food records of 133 adolescents (ages 12-17 y) surveyed in 1996 and a similar group of adolescents surveyed in 2006. Values obtained in 1996 and 2006 were compared with the current World Health Organization guidelines for chronic disease prevention.

Parental feeding styles and adolescents' healthy eating habits. Structure and correlates of a Costa Rican questionnaire.

This study designed and validated a questionnaire aimed at examining parental feeding styles to encourage healthy eating habits among Costa Rican adolescents. Adolescents (n=133; mean age 15.4 years), and their parents, participated in the study.

Validation of a diet history questionnaire for use with Costa Rican adults.

Objective: To validate a diet history questionnaire (DHQ) using a weighed food record (WFR) as the standard method in the estimation of food consumption and nutrient intake in a group of adults.

Design: WFR: all foods consumed by subjects during 7 consecutive days were weighed and recorded by nutrition students. Two DHQ interviews were carried out on days 1 (first diet history questionnaire, DHQ1) and 28 (second diet history questionnaire, DHQ2).

Validation of an estimated food record.

Objective: To validate an estimated food record (EFR), using a weighed food record (WFR) as the reference method, for the determination of food consumption and nutrient intakes in a group of Costa Rican adults.

Design: For the WFR, all foods consumed by subjects during seven consecutive days were weighed and recorded by nutrition students. Two EFRs (a 4-day and a 3-day record) were recorded by subjects with the use of home measures and photographs to estimate amounts.